Morteza Shahmirzai, in a televised interview, highlighted
the fact that the implementation of the Gachsaran petrochemical complex had
been on the agenda of the petrochemical industry for nearly two decades.
He stated, "The operational phase of the Gachsaran
petrochemical project began around two decades ago in the vicinity of Gachsaran
city, and over the years, it has experienced many ups and downs until recent
years, when its implementation speed intensified."
Discussing the reasons behind the initial slow pace of
Gachsaran petrochemical project, Shahmirzai mentioned various factors,
including the issue of feedstock supply.
He explained, "The feedstock for this complex is
provided by the Bidboland gas refinery in the Persian Gulf region, which is
based on collecting flare gases and processing and producing valuable products
such as ethane, which are needed for Petrochemical Gachsaran."
The CEO of the National Petrochemical Company continued,
"Annually, 1.25 million tons of ethane gas produced by the Bidboland gas
refinery is delivered to Gachsaran Petrochemical Plant. Furthermore, the
ethylene and C3+ products are then produced in the value chain for use in
downstream units."
Shahmirzai pointed out that Gachsaran Petrochemical stands
as the most domestically produced ethylene in the country, with many of its
facilities being built for the first time within the nation. In total, over 83
percent of the equipment, goods, and parts used in this complex are
domestically manufactured.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the construction of the
Gachsaran petrochemical project has created significant employment
opportunities, providing direct employment for more than 3,000 people during
the construction period and 1,000 people during the operational phase.
Regarding the strategy of the 13th Government,
the Deputy Minister of Petroleum stated that the rapid completion of the
petrochemical industry's value chain, utilizing the capacity of domestic
universities and knowledge-based companies, to prevent raw material sales and
create added value and higher employment opportunities, is the new approach
taken.
Addressing the production of ethylene in Gachsaran Petrochemical,
Shahmirzai noted, "Ethylene is an intermediate product in the
petrochemical industry, used in polymer industries, synthetic fibers, solvents,
softeners, antifreeze, and alcohols. Currently, we also have the world's
longest ethylene pipeline, spanning 2,800 kilometers, within the country."
He referred to the calendar year of 1402 as a blessed and
prosperous year for the petrochemical industry, coinciding with this year's
theme of "Inflation Control and Production Growth," and added,
"In addition to the five petrochemical projects announced by the Minister
of Petroleum that will become operational by the end of this year, fortunately,
on average, one petrochemical project will be launched each month this
year."
The CEO of the National Petrochemical Company stated that
with the implementation of new petrochemical projects, market stability would
be enhanced, and with increased exports of petrochemical products, the
country's foreign exchange earnings would soar.
Shahmirzai concluded by expressing gratitude and appreciation
to all his colleagues in the petrochemical industry and acknowledging the
dedicated efforts of all those involved in completing the monumental Gachsaran Petrochemical
project.